PINĘBOT

PIN·BOT (1987) is a customized Spanish version of Williams' 1986 original, produced by Universal de Desarrollos Electronicos, S.A. (Unidesa) of Barcelona under the trade names Unidesa/Cirsa/Stargame. Williams supplied Unidesa with kits of playfield and electronic parts - approximately 750 of them, all produced and shipped on May 26, 1987 - while Unidesa manufactured its own backglasses and cabinets. It retains the fantasy/outer-space/robots theme and Williams System 11A hardware of the original.

Gameplay carries over PIN·BOT's signature features: two flippers, three pop bumpers, a 5-target dropping bank that lowers to reveal two kick-out holes, a 3-bank drop target, a conical ramp skill shot, an upper-level bagatelle mini-playfield, and 2-ball multiball. A colorful playfield light array tracks progress as targets are hit.

A couple of differences distinguish this Spanish edition from the U.S. original: it lacks the mini-post between the flippers and the anti-return wires on the Vortex, and its backbox insert folds down rather than being hinged. Because it is essentially a Unidesa-built edition of an existing, well-documented Williams machine, its interest to collectors lies chiefly in these regional production differences rather than in any independent design pedigree.